Braves sign Prado, Wilson to one-year deals
Martin Prado of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Class A Carolina League affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, taken May 13, 2005, at Pfitzner Stadium, Woodbridge, Va. (Tom Priddy/Four Seam Images)
The Atlanta Braves have signed veteran utility man Martin Prado to a one-year contract.
David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that “The deal, which will pay Prado between $4.5 and $5 million, has no real bearing on the whether the Braves end up trading him because any conversations have come with the understanding that Prado would draw this kind of salary for 2012.”
The Braves also signed infielder Jack Wilson to a one-year deal.
Nick Hagadone No. 3 Indians prospect for 2012
LHP Nick Hagadone of the Greenville Drive, Sally League affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, pitches in his first Class A game against the Kannapolis Intimidators April 5, 2008, at Fluor Field at the West End in Greenville, S.C. (Tom Priddy/Four Seam Images)
Former Greenville Drive pitcher Nick Hagadone is listed as the Cleveland Indians’ No. 3 prospect for 2012 by Baseball America.
Hagadone pitched in Greenville during the 2008 season
Former Gamecock Lonnie Chisenhall has dropped off the Top 10, but is still projected by the magazine’s writers as the Indians’ third baseman of the future.
2011 Favorites: 7. A silly photo, but I like it
Pitcher Ronan Pacheco (32) of the Rome Braves jokes with the Greenville Drive’s mascot, Reedy Rip’It, near the visitors’ dugout prior to a game between the teams on July 18, 2011, at Fluor Field at the West End in Greenville, South Carolina. (Tom Priddy/Four Seam Images)
This is a silly one, but I’m just glad I caught it and it makes me smile when I think of it.
Lefty Gilmartin will be headed to Spring Training
Starting pitcher Sean Gilmartin (2) of the Rome Braves, Class A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, prior to a game against the Greenville Drive on August 16, 2011, at Fluor Field at the West End in Greenville, South Carolina. Gilmartin was Atlanta’s first-round pick (No. 28 overall) in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Florida State. Making his second start of the season, he pitched four scoreless innings, giving up one hit and striking out four. (Tom Priddy/Four Seam Images)
Lefty Sean Gilmartin, one of the Atlanta Braves’ top prospects, is one of the non-roster invitees who will be attending Spring Training with the big club next month.
The Braves’ No. 1 pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, Gilmartin was named the No. 20 prospect in last fall’s Arizona Fall League.
The club’s other non-roster invitees will include Christian Bethancourt, Andrelton Simmons, Todd Cunningham, Zeke Spruill, Stefan Gartrell, Jordan Parraz, Josh Wilson and Drew Sutton, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reports.
2011 Favorites: 6. A kid with just the right attitude
A youth baseball player stands for the National Anthem prior to a game between the Greenville Drive and Lakewood BlueClaws on July 13, 2011, at Fluor Field at the West End in Greenville, South Carolina. (Tom Priddy/Four Seam Images)
There’s nothing much you can do during the National Anthem — except look around for photo opportunities. This is one I found while standing right behind home plate.
If you’ve ever been to just about any Minor League game you’ll know that selected youth ballplayers often run out onto the field with the position players just before the game, and they stay there for the National Anthem.
There was just something about this young kid, with the shades and the hat held just in the right position over his heart. He seemed right at home standing there with the umps and the Greenville Drive catcher. The kid has style.
2011 Favorites: 5. You could have shot this one from your seat
Kannapolis Intimidators right fielder Kenny Gilbert (26) dives but misses a fly ball during a game against the Greenville Drive on Spartanburg Night, Wednesday, May 25, 2011, at Fluor Field at the West End in Greenville, S.C. (Tom Priddy / Four Seam Images)
The only reason I got this shot was that I was sitting with my family in the first-base-side stands and happened to have a good angle at this right field action.
Normally, if I’m shooting from the dugout, this angle is blocked. Sometimes you get lucky when you shake things up a bit.
2011 Favorites: 4. A beautiful afternoon at the ballpark
Coach Victor Valencia (38) of the Charleston RiverDogs signals to his baserunners late in a game against the Greenville Drive on May 15, 2011, at Fluor Field at the West End in Greenville, S.C. (Tom Priddy / Four Seam Images)
I’ve commented on this photo before; it was a beautiful afternoon at the ballpark, and the RiverDogs’ manager appears to be ready to take off into the skies as he signals to his base runners.
2011 Favorites: 3. Clean lines, good action, dirt flying
Second baseman Heiker Meneses (21) of the Greenville Drive turns the first half of a double play as J.R. Murphy (21) slides into second in a game against the Charleston RiverDogs on May 15, 2011, at Fluor Field at the West End in Greenville, S.C. (Tom Priddy / Four Seam Images)
This is what you hope to get at every game: Just a decent shot with a clean background, good action and dirt flying everywhere. I’d be happy with one of these at every game.
2011 Favorites: 2. The Sean Coyle second base tumble shot
Second baseman Sean Coyle (5) of the Greenville Drive takes a tumble but applies the tag to thwart the stolen base attempt by Edward Salcedo (1) of the Rome Braves in a game on August 16, 2011, at Fluor Field at the West End in Greenville, South Carolina. (Tom Priddy/Four Seam Images)
I don’t really know how something can be simultaneously easy and hard, but that’s what second base shots are. They’re easy in the sense that you know exactly where some action is going to take place, but you never know exactly when or how they’re going to occur. And you have about a second and a half to react and shoot it. That keeps it challenging.
This year Greenville Drive second baseman Sean Coyle made things interesting. He was always willing to do whatever it took to make the out, even if that meant twisting and turning and flopping on his rear. This was one time he went all out for the tag.
2011 Favorites: 1. Grab shot over the dugout railing
Richie Shaffer (8), Brad Miller (13) and Kevin Caughman (37) of the Clemson Tigers change into their game spikes in the dugout prior to a game against the Michigan State Spartans on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011, at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C. (Tom Priddy/Four Seam Images)
For the next several days I’ll be posting a few of my favorite photos from the 2011 season. Sometimes it seems a bit of an egotistical endeavor to do a best-of series, but it’s really helpful in planning for what I want to accomplish in 2012.
This shot has stuck in my head all year. Right before the first pitch of any game I usually hang out near one of the dugouts, hoping to see something interesting that might be worth shooting. It normally doesn’t work out.
But in this case I saw the three Clemson players reach for their laces at exactly the same time, and I liked the symmetry that resulted.
Tom Priddy
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